ecoPharmacist

Sunday Thought

I came across this quote from Elizabeth Gilbert, and wanted to share it. Attitude is everything. The choices you make direct that attitude. It affects how we react to the world, and how the world reacts to us. Wake everyday with a positive attitude and even if the day doesn’t go as planned, look and find what was good and hold onto that. Of course in the moment that may not be as easy as it sounds. That is where mindfulness will come into play. I have been trying as much as possible to stop and breathe before reacting. It changes everything. That impulsive reaction can be harmful sometimes. Be in the moment and you can make the moment yours, you can own the moment.

I have spent the morning cleaning, and getting ready for the coming week. The kids have been in the kitchen practicing their recipes for the upcoming cooking contest, and they made a mess! They made a mess of my freshly cleaned kitchen! I had a few ways to react. The impulsive reaction could have been to be upset, to dread that I would have to clean it again. The result of that reaction would not be good. The kids would feel shame. They would get discouraged and not want to try again. They would see me as uptight and no fun. That reaction wold dampen everyone’s mood for the rest of the day, negatively.

Here is where being mindful kicks in. Stop. Take a deep breath (if you have to). My immediate impulse was to practice my golden rule; treat others as I would want to be treated. The instinctive positive reaction…to give praise for their hard work and their dedication to practice their kitchen skills. I let them know that I anxiously await a sample of the quiche and oatmeal pancakes. That reaction was a catalyst for them to be excited, proud, and encouraged. They were aware of the mess they made, but that mess was necessary to get the end result. Foods not good if can’t make a mess, right? They smiled, saw the result of their hard work, offered me samples, acknowledged their messes and offered to help clean the kitchen again. This needs to be the impulsive reaction they see and feel.